Painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC) is a chronic, debilitating clinical syndrome presenting as severe pelvic pain with extreme urinary urgency and frequency in the absence of any known cause. The etiologic mechanisms underlying PBS/IC are unknown, but recurrence risks to siblings of affected individuals, concordance among monozygotic twins, and our own preliminary studies indicate a strong genetic contribution to the cause of PBS/IC. The overall goal of this proposal is to identify the genes containing mutations that result in PBS/IC and determine how the different encoded proteins of these genes interact with one another in a common biological pathway. Ultimately, understanding how mutations in up to five different genes yield the symptoms of PBS/IC should lead to improved diagnosis and possible therapies. We plan to attain our goals via the following specific aims: 1) Accurately characterize PBS/IC patients and their family members and enroll them in our genetic studies. Carefully evaluated cohorts of patients and their families are essential to the discovery of the genetic variation underlying PBS/IC. 2) Map the locations of PBS/IC genes by linkage analysis in families in which PBS/IC is segregating. We have already recruited several families with autosomal dominant inheritance of PBS/IC and identified linkage peaks in the most informative pedigrees. 3) Identify within linked regions of the genome the first genes that control inherited risk of PBS/IC and correlate the types of mutations with clinical symptoms. 4) Determine how proteins encoded by these PBS/IC genes interact with one another. Such knowledge should yield a better understanding of the biochemical or developmental pathways leading to PBS/IC.

Public Health Relevance

Painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC) is a severe, chronic, debilitative clinical syndrome with pelvic pain, extreme urinary urgency and frequency without a known underlying cause. This proposal should lead to a better understanding of the genetic components of the disorder and the underlying biochemical and developmental pathways leading to PBS/IC. Such knowledge could lead to improved diagnosis and rational design of therapeutic interventions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK081647-02
Application #
7681669
Study Section
Urologic and Kidney Development and Genitourinary Diseases Study Section (UKGD)
Program Officer
Rasooly, Rebekah S
Project Start
2008-08-01
Project End
2012-07-31
Budget Start
2009-08-01
Budget End
2010-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$573,947
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital Boston
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Strauss, Adam C; Dimitrakov, Jordan D (2010) New treatments for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Nat Rev Urol 7:127-35
Dimitrakov, Jordan; Guthrie, David (2009) Genetics and phenotyping of urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome. J Urol 181:1550-7